Local Accountant Pleads Guilty To Briding Public Official

An accountant with a local engineering firm pleaded guilty to bribing a Tulsa public works official, acting United States Attorney Thomas Scott Woodward said.

Stuart Jay Franklin, age 49, of Claremore, an accountant for FBS, Inc., plead guilty to Procurement Fraud Bribery. He also agreed to pay the City of Tulsa  restitution in the amount of $51,825 ($6,150 was already paid and $45,675 is to be paid one week prior to his sentencing date).

 Franklin admitted that he paid a $6,150 bribe to former Tulsa Public Works Field Engineering Manager Albert Martinez in September 2008 to influence the awarding of a city contract to FBS, Inc., according to a press release.

Franklin is the sixth and final defendant to plead guilty in the public works corruption cases. His sentencing is set for Dec. 14, after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation report. Franklin faces a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of $250,000.

U.S. District Judge Terrence Kern is presiding in the case.